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Ethical leadership and change: A qualitative comparative case study in

selected Malaysian transformed schools

Article  in  Educational Management Administration & Leadership · January 2018

DOI: 10.1177/1741143217751076

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Original Article
Educational Management
Administration & Leadership
Ethical leadership and change: 1–16
ª The Author(s) 2018

A qualitative comparative case Reprints and permission:

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DOI: 10.1177/1741143217751076
study in selected Malaysian journals.sagepub.com/home/ema

transformed schools

Zarina Waheed, Sufean Hussin, Muhammad Ilyas Khan,

Simin Ghavifekr and Waheed Bahadur

Abstract
Leaders’ ethical behaviours and conducts are prerequisites for an effective change. The purpose of
this qualitative comparative case study was to explore ethical leadership practices in selected
transformed schools from Selangor, Malaysia. Two schools (a primary school and a secondary
school) were selected as study sites. Data were collected through interviews, observations, and
document reviews. Interviews were conducted with 28 participants including school heads (2),
school administrators (3 þ 3 ¼ 6) and schoolteachers (10 þ 10 ¼ 20) selected from both schools
using purposive sampling. The constant comparative analysis method was used to analyse the data.
Analysis revealed demonstration of friendly and trusting relationships, openness to school mem-
bers, professional commitment, acting as role model, and warranting ethically appropriate con-
ducts as important ethical leadership practices. This study has value for policy and practice
pertaining to school transformation; the implications, strengths and limitations of the study and
recommendations for future research have been discussed as well.

Keywords
Ethical leadership, change, comparative case study, transformed schools, Malaysia

Introduction
Organisations, including schools, are increasingly more dynamic, turbulent and globally intercon-
nected. This has forced leaders to be more proactive towards reforms so that they can survive and
thrive (Lai, 2014; Waite, 2016). Ethical behaviours and conducts on the part of leaders are essential
prerequisites for effective change. According to Burnes and By:

Leaders cannot achieve sustainable and beneficial change for their organisations unless they act in an
ethical fashion and adopt ethically compatible approaches to changes that meet not only their own

Corresponding author:
Zarina Waheed, Sardar Bahadur Khan Women’s University, Quetta, Balochistan 87300, Pakistan.
Email: zarinarashid4@yahoo.com
2 Educational Management Administration & Leadership XX(X)

individual (egoistic) needs, but also produce utilitarian outcomes in terms of the greatest good for the
greatest number of stakeholders (Burnes and By, 2012: 240).

There are several factors that increase the importance of ethical leadership in organisations such
as schools. First, the globalisation, technological advancements and highly competitive environ-
ments in educational organisations have not only increased demands that school leadership be
more inclined towards change (Ghavifekr et al., 2013; Mulford, 2008; Tai et al., 2014), but also be
more focused on ethics and social justice (Ehrich et al., 2015; Waite, 2016). Second, globally,
educational institutions around the world have become more diverse in terms of ethnicity and
backgrounds of the students, teachers, staff and leaders (Demie and Lewis, 2010; Kenayathulla,
2014). For the leaders to be successful with such diverse students and other working forces, they
need to challenge discriminations and develop strong bonds based on trust, appreciation, equity
and justice (Leithwood and Riehl, 2003). Third, school leaders are often considered as role models
whose practices and behaviours are expected to be ethically well positioned (Brown et al., 2005).
However, the literature shows that due to financial compulsions, performance driven external
accountability and scandals, some of the leaders may engage in unethical practices in their respec-
tive schools (Arar, 2016; Castro and Moore, 2015; Ehrich et al., 2015; Hansen et al., 2013; Hassan
et al., 2013). Such ethical violations may harm students and teachers and defame the leadership
profession (Castro and Moore, 2015). This claim finds support in a study by Castro and Moore
(2015), who found that 29% of school principals from a high-performing school district in Florida,
USA, had allegations made against them, and some of them had been investigated more than once.
Recently, a Malaysian school leader banned wearing Saree (a traditional Indian dress) on school
campus. This decision was criticised throughout Malaysia as discriminatory against the Indian
community. The president of the Malaysian National Union of the Teaching Profession cautioned
against decisions that could be interpreted as less sensitive to racial diversity and multi-culturalism
in the country (Amar Shah, 2017).
Due to the aforementioned issues, a substantial and growing body of research is found in the
recent literature that is aimed at developing an understanding regarding the ethical dimensions of
leadership in schools (Arar et al., 2016; Langlois et al., 2014) and of the role of leadership in school
change (Fullan, 2011; Hallinger, 2003; Leithwood et al., 2008). However, only a small number of
these studies focussed on leaders’ ethical practices in times of change (Burnes and By, 2012).
Ethical leadership may vary in socially and culturally different societies (Arar et al., 2016),
“because ethics are culturally derived” (Stefkovich and Begley, 2007: 209). Current research on
ethical leadership is largely but not exclusively based in Western countries and organisations other
than schools (Babalola et al., 2017; Barkhordari-sharifabad et al., 2017; Hansen et al., 2013;
Kalshoven et al., 2013; Zhu et al., 2015). Moreover, a limited number of qualitative studies are
available on ethical leadership (Barkhordari-sharifabad et al., 2017), and some researchers rec-
ommend more qualitative research studies (Arar et al., 2016). Thus, there is a limited amount of
qualitative research on ethical leadership in schools in the Malaysia context. The current qualita-
tive case study aimed at filling some of this gap by exploring the ethical leadership practices in two
selected schools in Malaysia that experienced change and transformation.

Context of the study

The Malaysian government intends to transform the education system to bring it at par with the
standards in the developed countries. In line with these aspirations the Malaysian Education
Waheed et al.: Ethical leadership and change 3

Blueprint 2013–2025 was developed to outline a comprehensive reform programme for the system
in order to meet new demands and increasing expectations (Ministry of Education Malaysia, 2013).
The journey of this reform consists of three waves. Wave 1 (2013–2015) mainly focussed on:
(i) taking short-term initiatives involving reforms in curriculum and assessment methods aligned
with international standards; and (ii) improving the quality of teachers and principals via coaching
and enhancing recruitment criteria. Waves 2 and 3 (2016–2025) are more focussed on system-wide
transformation and excellence via innovations, school autonomy and professional development,
accountability and curriculum reforms.
The blueprint aims at five system-wide outcomes, encompassing access, quality, equity, unity
and efficiency and six student aspirations – skills and attributes that students would need – which
are knowledge, thinking skills, national identity, leadership skills, ethics and spirituality, and
bilingual proficiency. To deliver on the aspirations, the Ministry of Education (MoE) identified
11 shifts for transforming the education system (www.moe.gov.my). The shifts not only focus on
the intellectual development of students, teachers, leaders and other personnel, but also prioritise
ethical, cultural, emotional (Shifts 2 and 10), social (Shift 8) and financial (Shift 9) dimensions
as well.
The MoE consider school leaders as one of the most significant contributors towards school
transformation and change (Harris et al., 2017). For this purpose, an institution called Institut
Aminuddin Baki (IAB) has been given the responsibility of providing pre-service and in-service
professional development training to school leaders working in secondary and primary schools
(Bajunid, 2004). The MoE has also changed the appointment methods of school leaders from
previously tenure-based selection to leadership competencies. Therefore, from 2013 onwards, it is
compulsory for school leaders to complete the National Professional Qualification for Educational
Leaders (NPQEL) to be able to keep their job as school leaders.
The NPQEL is based on the leadership competencies in six domains, which are: (i) instructional
and achievement; (ii) policy and direction; (iii) personal effectiveness; (iv) resources and opera-
tion; (v) people and relationship; and (vi) change and innovation (Rosnarizah et al., 2009). These
domains are extensive and are developed using the literature on leadership. However, the emphasis
on ethical or moral practices and behaviours by school leaders is underrepresented. Aminah (2012)
claims that Malaysian leaders are moral agents, transformational and instructional leaders, and
financial managers. Rahimah and Ghavifekr (2014) argue that the Malaysian school leadership for
the 21st century should be more inclined towards moral or ethical leadership. Nevertheless, school
leaders in Malaysia are mainly regarded as instructional leaders that influence the performance of
the schools and students (Harris et al., 2017).

Ethical leadership and change

Ethical leadership has been considered central in terms of encouraging organisational members
towards change (Babalola et al., 2014). According to Gill (2002), leaders need to demonstrate
ethical behaviours, such as honesty and trustworthiness in order to influence others to change.
Kanokorn et al. (2013) argue that due to the rapid changes around the world, it is essential to
prioritise ethical leadership behaviour in schools. Ethical leadership has been defined as
“demonstration of normatively appropriate conduct through personal actions and interpersonal
relationships and the promotion of such conduct to followers through two-way communication,
reinforcement and decision making” (Brown et al., 2005: 120). It is the sum of distinct but
interconnected components of ethical behaviours and practices of leaders (Kalshoven et al.,
4 Educational Management Administration & Leadership XX(X)

2011), and includes integrity, treating employees fairly, maintaining high ethical standards, and
holding employees accountable for ethical conduct in an organisation (Brown et al., 2005). The
concept also includes fairness in decision-making and development of a trusting relationship with
organisational members (Trevino et al., 2000; Yates, 2014).
Leaders need to alter the mind-sets, beliefs and practices of the school members to initiate and
effectively manage change (Anderson and Anderson, 2001; Levy and Merry, 1986). Change is
impossible without “felt-need”, which “is an individual’s inner realisation that it is necessary. If
felt-need is low, introducing change becomes problematic” (Burnes and By, 2012: 242). An ethical
leader influences the “felt-need” of organisational members by influencing their mind-sets, beliefs
and practices, while establishing a strong ethical message to maintain the values of an organisation
(Trevino et al., 2000). Moreover, ethical leadership is an influential process to achieve a shared
purpose via ethical means (Prince II et al., 2009).
Leaders, in order to transform their schools, build a shared school vision, offer support to school
members, model the best professional practices and values, clarify expectations, build strong
interpersonal relationship, create a conducive school culture and involve school members in
decision- making and problem-solving (Leithwood, 1994; Leithwood et al., 2006; Yukl, 2012).
Ethical leadership has been found to positively affect the attitude, beliefs and commitment of
school members, which ultimately affect organisational performances, including that of schools
(Brown et al., 2005; Hansen et al., 2013; Kalshoven et al., 2011).
In addition to this, it has been found that leaders’ ethical leadership influences different aspects
of schools that ultimately influence schools’ performance. For example, change is hard to achieve
without fostering creativity and innovation in schools (Hallinger, 2005; Leithwood and Jantzi,
2000; Urick and Bowers, 2013; Yukl, 2012). Ethical leadership has been found to facilitate
organisational creativity in schools as well (Yılmaz, 2010). Moreover, ethical leadership influ-
ences organisational members’ commitment, helping attitude, innovation, creativity, job satisfac-
tion, job autonomy, shared decision-making, team effectiveness, and leader–member exchange
quality (De Hoogh and Den Hartog, 2008; Kalshoven et al., 2013; Mahsud et al., 2010; Sabir et al.,
2012; Yates, 2014; Yidong and Xinxin, 2013; Yılmaz, 2010).
Along with changing other aspects of schools, ethically responsible leaders need the courage to
alter the root causes of unethical structures and processes (Duignan, 2006). This warrants the
application of ethically sound practices in the organisations via rewards and punishments (Zhu
et al., 2015). Ethical leaders not only apply rules and norms in their schools, but also the ethics of
care, justice, equality and respect. They focus on fostering an ethically sound climate in their
schools by resolving ethical dilemmas and generating ethical manners (Arar, 2016; Stefkovich and
Begley, 2007), and establish a non-violent working environment in their organisations by practi-
cing justice, respect, trustworthiness and sincerity (Yılmaz, 2010). They give voice to their col-
leagues and clarify roles, responsibilities and expectations (Kalshoven et al., 2011). Ethical leaders
work for “students’ best interest”, which involves treating all students fairly via justice, respect and
care (Stefkovich and Begley, 2007).

Methodology
This comparative qualitative case study (Yin, 2009), takes an inductive approach (Corbin and
Strauss, 2008) to explore the ethical leadership practices in two transformed schools from
Selangor, Malaysia. The two case schools were selected for this study using a purposive sampling
Waheed et al.: Ethical leadership and change 5

Figure 1. The characteristics of selected schools and dimensions in which they have experienced change.

technique. The selected schools had experienced extensive change in terms of students’ perfor-
mance, school working culture, infrastructure, status1 and recognition during the last five years.
In order to select the schools, during the first phase, some educators and school practitioners
were informally consulted to make sure the schools met the criteria. The MoE websites and school
portals were helpful for this as well. It should be pointed out that schools listed as high-performing
schools were specifically not selected because the focus of this study was mainly on extensive
change, rather than static excellent performance. However, School B (SB), experiencing an exten-
sive change by receiving two statuses and numerous other achievements in a year, is considered as
a transformed school.
In the second phase, some of the schools that were initially listed as transformed schools were
contacted. The purpose and the criteria of the study were conveyed to the schools and permission
was availed verbally from the schools’ respective heads.
In the third phase, the aims, objectives, procedure, criteria and list of the schools were sent to the
Educational Planning and Research Division, MoE Malaysia to obtain permission for data collec-
tion. Permission was also sought from the Selangor State Department of Education and District
Department of Education. Figure 1 shows the characteristics of selected schools and the dimen-
sions that have experienced change.
A variety of data collection tools were used in the process of data collection. These tools
included semi-structured interviews, observations and document reviews. The actual data
6 Educational Management Administration & Leadership XX(X)

collection process was preceded by a pilot study. The pilot study included two observation sessions
and two interviews with teachers from two national schools selected for the pilot study. The pilot
study aimed at an initial familiarisation with the Malaysian school settings and at developing an
insight into the feasibility and usefulness of the data collection tools for obtaining authentic data.
The pilot process led to a review and refinement of the interview protocol and the observation
guide. For instance, some of the interview questions were restructured making them simpler and
more direct. Observation guides were also modified by adding items related to initial findings from
observation during the pilot study.
The pilot study process was followed by the formal data collection process. For interviews, the
respective school heads (2), 6 administrators (senior assistants, heads of the panels and heads of the
departments) and 20 teachers were selected via purposive sampling from both schools. To select
well-informed participants (Yin, 2009) and obtain reliable and authentic information, teachers and
administrators with more than five years working experience with the school heads were selected.
The consent forms were completed by the participants and anonymity and confidentiality were
assured to them, as well as their right to withdraw from the study at any stage. The interviews were
tape recoded and transcribed. The interview transcriptions were shared with the participants to
validate the accuracy and authenticity of the data. For observations, School A (SA) was visited
from 21 January to 3 March 2016, while SB was visited from 21 March to 11 April 2016. A total of
34 hours’ sessions was observed in both schools, ranging from 2–9 hours per session (a total of 225
hours). Guideline questions for observation sessions were constructed, and a diary was kept for
notes and memos. Documents, school artefacts, plans, notices, minutes of the meetings, magazines
and reports were considered as important documents for review.
The interview transcripts, observation field notes and documents were uploaded into ATLAS.ti 7
as primary documents (P-Docs) so that they could be explored, managed, extracted, compared
and congregated into meaningful pieces of data systematically. Data analysis was done in two stages.
At the first, it was based on constant comparative analysis (Corbin and Strauss, 2008), where each
case was analysed separately (within-case analysis (Yin, 2009)). At this stage, each primary docu-
ment was read more than once and coded openly, where every bit of data that seemed useful was
selected and coded (Merriam, 2009). The initial codes were reviewed and validated by experts.
The codes that emerged from the data via open coding were analysed for similarities and
differences. Similar codes were combined to form categories and subcategories. Then, the
categories were compared, and the main themes and propositions developed. During the second
stage, the cases were compared to determine the similarities and differences (cross-case
analysis). The methodology of the research is summarised in Figure 2.
The subsequent part of this paper details the cross-case comparison of the ethical leadership
practices in both schools.

Findings
The ethical leaders demonstrate ethically appropriate values and practices in schools and promote
such behaviours and values among the members (Zhu et al., 2015). The data revealed that leaders
in both transformed schools demonstrated ethically appropriate values and practices. The existence
of such ethical values and practices helped leaders develop the following dimensions of ethical
leadership in their respective schools. In Malaysia, primary school leaders are called headmistress/
headmasters, while secondary school leaders are called principals. Therefore, in the findings, a
Waheed et al.: Ethical leadership and change 7

Figure 2. The summary of research methodology.

leader from SA is referred to as principal, while a leader from SB is referred to as the headmistress,
and both are collectively being referred to as leaders.

Demonstrating a friendly and trusting relationship

The leaders in both schools had a friendly and trusting relationship with teachers, staff, manage-
ment team, parents and other school members. They created a productive communication and
friendly relationship with school members via ethical practices showing warmth, respect and care.
From field observation, the principal from SA could be found greeting everyone nicely, regardless
of whether they are students, teachers, parents, staff members, canteen workers, or cleaners
(A-P16:1; 7:7). A Chinese teacher, comparing this with the treatment of her previous principal,
pointed out:

She is very fair. She does not see me as Chinese, and as such, is required to do more work. Before
coming to this school, I was teaching at a primary school, and due to the fact that the principal there was
aware that I am Chinese, young and single, I was forced to take on more responsibilities. I think of this
as being duly unfair (A-P5:52; 14:14).

Similarly, the teachers from SB pointed out that the headmistress belonged to one of the well-
known and respectable families, but she was down to earth and humble while interacting with
parents, teachers, staff and students. She used to invite the school members to visit her house. On
the interview day, the headmistress invited some of the school staff, teachers and the senior
assistant (students’ affair) for lunch. The headmistress argued that a leader must cultivate multiple
relationships with school members, depending on the situation, in order for the school to excel.
Referring to teachers and staff, she outlined, “You need to maintain a parent-like relationship with
them. You might also act like sibling for support or as a boss to lead” (B-P4:23; 27:27). The panel
head added:
8 Educational Management Administration & Leadership XX(X)

She [the headmistress] is very good at her job. If we face any difficulty or problem, we can go to her and
talk it out or outright solve the problem at hand. This is very motivating, and she is more like a parent
and a friend than a superior . . . (B-P2:23; 38:38).

Being open to school members

The leaders were also considered as being open. For instance, a teacher from SB regarded her
headmistress as being less autocratic and more open (B-P14:22; 47:47). A teacher from SA said,
“This principal is quite open, if a teacher is having a problem, s/he can take it to her” (A-P6:48;
34:34). Another teacher claimed, “If I have a problem, I will talk to her and she advises me
accordingly” (A-P 8:51; 53:53). Thus, the leaders kept their doors open for school members so
they could approach them in need. The school members were quite comfortable talking and sharing
with the leaders. The leaders listened to their personal problems affecting their work, or their work-
related problems, and provided suggestions on how to overcome those problems.

Being committed to their profession

Being committed to the job is a moral obligation of leaders who place their full effort and energy to
the tasks that they have at hand. The findings also indicated that leaders in both schools were fully
dedicated to their profession as leaders, guides and managers. They could be seen coming early and
staying late in their schools. They were committed to bringing out the best of teachers, staff and
students through empowering, sharing, problem-solving and feedback. The teachers considered the
principal in SA as a “very hardworking person” (A-P3:50 57:57), “showing full commitment”
(A-P34:48; 56:56). The principal from SA, in her message in the annual report of the school, also
suggested teachers to demonstrate integrity by showing full commitment towards teaching in
school (A-P85:11; 24:24). The teachers from SB also highlighted the fact that the headmistress
was committed to her school. A teacher reflected, “The headmistress is the one who prepared
everything, sometimes she used to go home late, at 7–8 pm . . . ,” (B-P6:33; 66:66).

Acting as a role model

Data analysis revealed that the leaders “walked the talk”. They demonstrated what they wanted
their school members to do and have. They had developed trust and earned respect from the school
members by trusting and respecting them. This is evident from interviews in both schools. For
example, a teacher from SA claimed that she liked the principal’s way of leadership, and that it “is
helping other teachers by doing it first, and showing them how to do it afterwards” (A-P4:46;
83:83). Another teacher said, “She [the principal] leads by example. One example is greeting the
students every day early morning, where she will also join us in doing so. Anything she wants us to
do, she will do it first” (A-P7:57; 70:70).
Similarly, the headmistress from SB said, “When we want to do something, we must do it first.
I must go to class on time and I must come to school early if I want others to do so” (B-P4:17;
21:21). An administrator said that the headmistress did not order them to perform something, but
she was a type of leader who could show them first by doing it herself, and then asking them to do it
afterwards (B-P2:23; 38:38). A teacher asserted, “she [the headmistress] also showed the teachers
that she could be a model or example for other teachers on how to do something” (B-P9:9; 17:17).
Waheed et al.: Ethical leadership and change 9

Warranting ethically appropriate conducts in schools

The findings also revealed that leaders emphasised promoting ethical conducts and behaviours in
school and preventing unethical conducts. In order to create a culture that promoted ethical conduct
in the school, they used rewards to appreciate ethically appropriate conducts and punishments to
prevent unethical conducts. They would not compromise on ethical issues, and therefore might not
hesitate to take actions to minimise such practices. Both leaders first used soft approaches, such as
suggestions, consultations and counselling to prevent unethical behaviours and approaches.
A teacher from SA said, “She usually calls you to her office, but will not chastise you, instead,
she will first offer some advice,” (A-P4:65; 101:101). The panel head from SB argued, “The
headmistress will call her/him to her office for a discussion . . . ” (B-P2:27; 43:43).
The stern approaches included sending letters or circulations, transfers and terminations. As a
senior assistant mentioned:

She will tackle problems using soft approaches, such as giving advice while simultaneously reminding
the individual about the consequences they would face. If this does not work, she will then refer to the
circular for further actions (A-P34:52; 58:58).

The headmistress from SB also said:

. . . If a teacher comes in late, first, I ask PK 1 [senior assistant academics] to deal with it. If she is
unable to, then I will deal with it. I will assess the situation and see what can be done, or I might chastise
the individual concerned, depending on the situation (B-P4:25; 31:31).

It was evident in the interviews that the principal from SA usually gave three chances to the
teachers if they were not punctual, but if they continued doing so, she would call them and ask for
justifications. A teacher, for instance, stated, “If a teacher is late more than three times in a month,
the principal will send them a reminder and they will be required to provide a reason(s) of why they
are late” (A-P82:16; 39:39). In her interview, the principal recalled how she transferred a teacher
due to his stubborn nature and his inability to carry out his assigned duties (A-P10:75; 58:60).
However, one thing strongly apparent in both schools was that everything was kept confidential.
The findings also indicated that leaders from both schools were very firm in discipline-related
issues. The discipline and counselling units handled minor student disciplinary issues. However, if
the issues were major, such as fighting, they would take appropriate actions. The principal from SA
declared this in an informal discussion, “The one [student] found guilty will be terminated from the
school. Then, their parents will have to appeal to the district education office, and if approved then
the student is allowed to enter school again” (A-P1:16; 12:12). While during the field observation
in SB, the parents of a group of students who were found throwing stones on each other were called
in to school (B-P28:3, 9:9).
Moreover, to minimise discipline issues the principal from SA was found making some wise
decisions. For example, in a meeting she advised, “In an effort to overcome discipline problems,
place the last class from Form three to Form five near the discipline room” (A-P35:6; 231:231).

Discussion
The findings of this inductive exploratory study suggest that leaders in selected transformed
schools demonstrated strong ethical leadership behaviour. The dimensions of ethical leadership
10 Educational Management Administration & Leadership XX(X)

include demonstrating a friendly and trusting relationship, being open to school members, being
committed to their profession, acting as a role model, and warranting ethically appropriate con-
ducts in their schools. A true and long-lasting change is embraced internally via shared ownership
for consequences (Zmuda et al., 2004). Ethical leaders appeal to school members internally for
changes (Fullan, 2001; Trevino et al., 2000). The data showed that the ethical leadership of the
school leaders influenced the behaviours, practices and commitment of schoolteachers. They
showed their trust and affection for leaders due to the leaders’ ethical leadership. Crum and
Sherman (2008), while exploring the best practices of leaders, found that the leaders in transformed
schools not only acknowledge the importance of trust, but also developed trust in their schools.
Similarly, in another study, it was found that leaders in transformed schools demonstrate openness
and honesty in their schools (Sanzo et al., 2011). Hence, the literature in the school context strongly
supports the influence of ethical leadership on the progression of transformation in schools
(Kanokorn et al., 2013).
Leaders’ ethical values include care, openness, honesty, fairness and trusting relationship with
teachers, staffs and parents (Liu, 2016). When teachers find leaders to be transparent, unbiased and
morally fair, they develop strong confidence in them and will follow what the leaders plan and
decide for the school. For example, in both schools, the teachers mentioned that although decision-
making is shared, they have full confidence and support for their leaders if they plan or decide
about something involving the schools. The presence of ethical values in leaders’ behaviour
intrinsically motivate teachers for positive transformation.
Leaders, by demonstrating ethical practices, help school members acquire ethical behaviours.
For example, in both schools, punctuality was the main concern of the leaders and they were trying
their utmost to overcome this concern. If the leaders themselves would not be punctual, how could
they know if the teachers were punctual or not? Similarly, commitment and dedication to the
school and tasks are behaviours for the leaders to display to other school members. With assur-
ances, if the parents find leaders committed to the improvement of the school and their children’s
education, they would wish to contribute financially, morally and technically, all of which will
ultimately help the school’s transformation (Aziah and Abdul Ghani, 2012).
Moreover, leaders need to be alert for unethical practices taking place in their schools. Absen-
teeism, failing to fulfil the duties and obligations and discipline-related issues such as bullying are
some of the unethical behaviours mentioned by the participants. Leaders, due to their ethical
leadership, try their best to diminish such unethical practices by preventing and discouraging them.
Leaders, by preventing such behaviours, attempt to develop a morally rich school culture that is
conducive to teachers’ and students’ professional growth and learning for the sake of school
transformation.
Previous literature supports the findings of this study. For example, Brown et al. (2005)
argued that integrity, maintaining ethical standards, treating employees justly and fairly, devel-
oping and maintaining trust, accountability and transparency, are some of the behaviours demon-
strated in ethical leadership. Ethical leadership has been identified as a contributing factor in
different aspects of organisations that directly and indirectly affect the process of transformation
as it influences teacher performance, commitment, social exchange, team effectiveness, inter-
relationships, optimism for the future and the prevention of unethical conducts (De Hoogh
and Den Hartog, 2008; Joosten et al., 2013; Kalshoven et al., 2013; Mahsud et al., 2010; Zhu
et al., 2015).
In summary, in order to transform schools, leaders need to possess strong ethical leadership
characteristics. Thus, change and leaders’ ethical practices often correlate (Burnes and By, 2012).
Waheed et al.: Ethical leadership and change 11

Implications of the findings

This study contributes to the field of leadership and change in several ways. First, it adds to the
current literature on ethical leadership in a school context, especially at a time of change and
reform (Burnes and By, 2012). We argue that the process of change itself is challenging due to
uncertainty, resistance, ambiguities and anxieties (Fullan, 2001; Zmuda et al., 2004). Successful
school leaders, demonstrate tolerance, care, respect and justice to tackle challenges related to
transformation of their schools. This study implies that in the Malaysian context the MoE and
IAB could design programmes and courses focussed on ethical leadership in order to support
extensive change and reform in the education system of Malaysia. Castro and Moore (2015) argue
that the continuous training of ethical leadership is critical. From interviewing the principals, they
confirmed that their pre-service training helped them in being ethical in different situations.
Yılmaz (2010) claimed that leaders need proper trainings on ethical leadership to create an
ethically sound environment based on harmony, admiration, freedom and respect. Training based
on ethical decision-making would make school leaders more reflective and be able to integrate
ethics in their daily routine practices in schools (Arar, 2016). This has implications for possible
changes in pre-service and in-service teacher training programmes in terms of inclusion of curri-
cular material related to the development of ethical leadership orientations.
Current and future school leaders may benefit from the findings of this study. The findings of
this study may provide an insight to school leaders, teachers and academics regarding the vital role
that ethically oriented school leadership can play in the successful transformation of schools. The
study could also have implications for other schools with similar contexts in Malaysia and
elsewhere.

Recommendations for future studies

This study may also open new vistas for future studies expanding on this and similar issues of
interest. The data for this study were collected from the multiple participants; however, the voices
of parents and students were not included. Future researchers may include their opinions for a more
authentic and rich data on ethical leadership. The findings of this study cannot be generalised to a
large population and other contexts, due to its qualitative nature. Large-scale quantitative studies
may be conducted in other contexts. The relationship between ethical leadership and school
members’ commitment to change, resistance to change, job satisfaction, organisational citizenship
behaviour and motivation to teach would be interesting areas to explore as well. Exploring the
influence of ethical leadership on students’ commitment to schools and their performance could be
crucial in this case. Due to the inductive exploratory nature of the study, we allowed all possible
themes to emerge from the data. Future researchers may use different theories and models to study
specific dimensions of ethical leadership (e.g., Kalshoven et al., 2013; Starratt, 1991). Finally, the
data were collected from two Malaysian national schools from the State of Selangor. Future
researchers could also include vernacular schools, international schools, boarding schools, reli-
gious schools and schools from states other than Selangor.

Declaration of conflicting interests

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or pub-
lication of this article.
12 Educational Management Administration & Leadership XX(X)

Funding
The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

ORCID iD
Simin Ghavifekr http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3679-7472

Note
1. In Malaysia, schools are given different statuses based on their performance in different areas. For
example, schools are given the status of high-performing schools if their students perform well in academic
and co-curricular activities and if they establish collaborations with at-least two international schools.
They are given the status of cluster school if they show extra-ordinary performance in at-least two niche
areas (e.g., music, culture, English language, sports, etc.). Similarly, the schools are awarded the status of
smart school if they incorporate modern information and communications technology approaches in the
teaching and management system.

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Author biographies
Dr. Zarina Waheed is a senior lecturer in the Department of Education in Sardar Bahadur Khan
Women’s University Quetta. She recently completed her Ph.D. from Department of Educational
Management, Planning and Policy, Faculty of Education, University of Malaya. She is teaching
and supervising undergraduate and postgraduate students. Her research interests are in school
transformation, leadership, and educational management and policy.

Dr. Sufean Bin Hussin is one of the renowned educationalist and a Professor in the Department of
Educational Management, Planning and Policy, Faculty of Education, University of Malaya,
Malaysia. He has done his Ph.D. from University of Oregon, Eugene, US in 1994. He has authored
various books, chapters in books, and articles in local and international journals. For his C.V ,
please visit: https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth¼1&hl¼en&prev¼search&
rurl¼translate.google.com.pk&sl¼ms&sp¼nmt4&u¼https://umexpert.um.edu.my/drsufean.
html&usg¼ALkJrhhj2xnZQi6inTf5mOUkowFHgxmItg

Dr. Muhammad Ilyas Khan is an Assistant Professor in Department of Education, Hazara

University Pakistan. He got his Ph.D. from School of Education, University of Leicester, UK.
He has worked as a teacher in school, college and university. He has published Books, Chapters in
Books, and articles in local and international journals. His research interests are in teacher edu-
cation, educational philosophy, education leadership, management, and educational change.

Dr Simin Ghavifekr is a senior lecturer in the Department of Educational Management, Planning

and Policy, Faculty of Education, University of Malaya. She is teaching and supervising
16 Educational Management Administration & Leadership XX(X)

postgraduate students. Prior to this, she worked as a teacher, principal/ headmistress and academic
advisor in pre-university colleges. So far, she has published many Books, Chapters in Books, and
articles in local and international journals, including Scopus and ISI. She is also the Editor for the
journal of Malaysian Online Journal of Educational Management (MOJEM). Dr Simin’s interests
are in education leadership , policy, management, administration, and educational change, as well
as, e-learning and integration of ICT in educational setting.

Waheed Bahadur is doing his M.Phil. from Balochistan Study Center, University of Balochistan,
Quetta. His research interests are in qualitative research, leadership, and school improvement.

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